The decision to change the name of the stand came following a survey by the club’s Red and White Army (RAWA) supporters group, which that discovered fans believed the Stadium of Light “needed a greater sense of identity”.

After compiling a shortlist of potential names and conducting a vote among 13,000 fans, an overwhelming majority of 70% chose The Roker End.

“This was a fantastic opportunity for supporters to come together and help give our stadium a greater sense of identity, and they answered the call with thousands participating,” said Andrew Hird, chairman of the RAWA.

“The club has been open and honest in its communication with supporters from day one, and they too are passionate about restoring the Stadium of Light to its former glory, as we saw with the Big Seat Change.”

Earlier in the year the Stadium of Light carried out the replacement of tens of thousands of seats after their red coloring faded to a light pink. The club came up with the initiative to invite fans and members of the community to help install the new seating, which proved to be a popular and successful operation.

About Author

James has been Editor of Stadia since 2018 having worked at magazines and websites around the world for the past 10 years covering everything from technology to motoring and more. He also edits Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Technology International.